In Washington, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed S. 3734, a bipartisan bill designed to strengthen the national bioeconomy. S. 3734, the Bioeconomy Research and Development Act of 2020, would: Establish an Initiative through the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to advance research and development, advance biomanufacturing, develop the future bioeconomy […]
In Washington, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced legislation to support biofuel producers negatively affected by the pandemic. This legislation will require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reimburse biofuel producers for their feedstock purchases from January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2020 through the Commodity Credit Corporation. As the coronavirus […]
In Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reports Bioenergy Australia believes the COVID-19 pandemic and the shock to the country’s economy as a result is a perfect reason to look again at boosting bioenergy use nationally. The group is calling for a Clean Futures Target and Bio Industries Fund for Australia to help divert biofuel exported […]
In Washington, attorneys for a broad alliance of ethanol, agriculture and clean fuel organizations filed their opening brief arguing that EPA regulatory barriers that prevent ethanol from competing for greater market share are illegal. The brief was filed in the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Oral arguments in the case are expected this […]
In India, Autocar Professional reports that the government permitted surplus rice to be used for the production of ethanol for biofuel usage as India struggles to reach its mandated blend of 10% ethanol in gasoline by 2022. The 2030 target is to double the blending percentage to 20 percent. “Government estimates indicate that total production […]
In Washington, the Biogenic CO2 Coalition is urging Members of Congress to seek assurances from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it will close a regulatory loophole that is hurting the U.S. agriculture industry and job growth in the broader bioeconomy. In its letter to Capitol Hill, the Coalition said that while it would […]
In Washington, Growth Energy applauded the introduction by House leaders of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HEROES Act), which allocates more than $3 trillion in recovery dollars, including long-awaited assistance for the struggling biofuels industry. Specifically, the HEROES Act would authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide $0.45 per gallon […]
In Washington, mayors from across the U.S. farm belt condemned oil industry efforts to seize markets from farmers and biofuel producers under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler, 70 mayors called on the agency to “reject unjustifiable RFS waiver requests and protect rural communities.” “Some of us […]
In Washington, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a relentless advocate for Iowa’s biofuels community, is leading a bipartisan effort with Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in urging the Trump Administration to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and reject requests for the RFS to be waived. In a bipartisan […]
In Washington, D.C., two biofuels groups, Iowa Biodiesel Board and Renewable Fuels Assocation, both released notes of thanks to 24 Senators that signed the bipartisan letter to President Trump urging him to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard and reject the requests for a waiver from five oil state governors. Grant Kimberley, executive director of the […]
